Japan To Create Space, Cyberdefense Units, Boost Artificial Intelligence Use -Defense Plan

Japan to Create Space, Cyberdefense Units, Boost Artificial Intelligence Use -Defense Plan

Japan's defense guidelines for a decade to come, which the country's government approved on Tuesday, envisage creating space and cyberdefense units, while the application of artificial intelligence will be expanded.

"Given birth rate reduction and

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th December, 2018) Japan's defense guidelines for a decade to come, which the country's government approved on Tuesday, envisage creating space and cyberdefense units, while the application of artificial intelligence will be expanded.

"Given birth rate reduction and population decline, defense capability maintenance and enhancement calls for staff reinforcement more than ever before. It is necessary not only to attract talented staff, but also to use advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, among others," the document read.

An unmanned aircraft department will be created in order to enable permanent control of the air space and information gathering in "remote regions."

The space and the cyberspace have never been tackled in Japanese defense guidelines before.

"To hold operations ... in such new areas as space, electromagnetic waves, and cyberspace, it is necessary to strengthen joint control.

For constant supervision of space, for impeding rivals' command and information transmission, and also for ... maintaining leadership in cyberspace use, it is necessary to create a special space unit within the air-force defense units, and to boost its joint control," the document read.

A cyberdefense unit will also be created in order to maintain permanent control of information communications sphere, and also to prevent rivals from using cyberspace for attacks on Japan and to "radically boost cyberdefense capabilities."

Under the plan, two helicopter carriers Izumo will be refitted as aircraft carriers.

The Japanese government has also approved a new Medium Term Defense Program, under which record-high 27 trillion Yen ($245 billion) will be spent on defense over five years.

Related Topics